3D image processing apparatus and method

Abstract

Provided are an image processing apparatus and method which can adjust the disparity of an input three-dimensional (3D) image and stably display the 3D image. The image processing apparatus includes: an image dividing unit receiving a 3D image and dividing the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image; a histogram generation unit estimating disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram of the disparities and the frequency; a horizontal movement value determination unit determining a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and a horizontal movement unit moving the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the determined horizontal movement value. The image processing apparatus can control convergence of an image to enhance 3D effects and reduce eye fatigue.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 an image dividing unit which receives a three-dimensional (3D) image and divides the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image; 
 a histogram generation unit which breaks down the left-eye image and the right-eye image into blocks, estimates disparities between all of the blocks of the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measures a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generates a histogram representing all of the estimated disparities and the measured frequency; 
 a horizontal movement value determination unit which determines a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and 
 a horizontal movement unit which horizontally moves at least one of the left-eye image and the right-eye image based on the determined horizontal movement value, 
 wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit calculates a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive and determines the horizontal movement value using the calculated threshold value. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit determines a value corresponding to half the threshold value to be the horizontal movement value. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the horizontal movement unit moves the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the threshold value and thus adjusts the disparity. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a user interface unit receiving the predetermined ratio or the threshold value from a user through a user input signal and transmitting the predetermined ratio or the threshold value to the horizontal movement value determination unit, wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit determines the horizontal movement value using the received predetermined ratio or threshold value. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a 3D stereo display unit displaying the disparity-adjusted left-eye image and right-eye image output from the horizontal movement unit. 
     
     
       6. An image processing method comprising:
 receiving a three-dimensional (3D) image and dividing the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image; 
 breaking down the left-eye image and the right-eye image into blocks; 
 estimating disparities between all of the blocks of the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram representing all of the estimated disparities and the measured frequency; 
 determining a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and 
 moving at least one of the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the determined horizontal movement value to adjust disparities, 
 wherein the determination of the horizontal movement value comprises: 
 calculating a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive; and 
 determining the horizontal movement value using the calculated threshold value. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determination of the horizontal movement value comprises determining a value corresponding to half the threshold value to be the horizontal movement value. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the horizontal movement of the left-eye image and the right-eye image comprises moving the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the threshold value and thus adjusting the disparity. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving the predetermined ratio or the threshold value from a user through a user input signal; and 
 determining the horizontal movement value using the received predetermined ratio or the threshold value. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising displaying the disparity-adjusted left-eye image and right-eye image. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing the method of  claim 6  is recorded. 
     
     
       12. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 an image dividing unit which receives an image and divides the image into a first image and a second image; 
 a histogram generation unit which breaks down the first image and the second image into blocks, estimates disparities between all of the blocks of the first image and the second image, measures a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generates a histogram representing all of the estimated disparities and the measured frequency; 
 a movement value determination unit which determines a movement value for the first image and the second image using the generated histogram; and 
 a movement unit which moves at least one of the first image and the second image based on the determined movement value and thus adjusting the disparity of the image, 
 wherein the movement value determination unit calculates a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive and determines the movement value using the calculated threshold value. 
 
     
     
       13. An image processing method comprising:
 receiving an image and dividing the image into a first image and a second image; 
 breaking down the first image and the second image into blocks; 
 estimating disparities between all of the blocks of the first image and the second image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram representing all of the estimated disparities and the measured frequency; 
 determining a movement value for the first image and the second image using the generated histogram; and 
 moving at least one of the first image and the second image based on the determined movement value and thus adjusting the disparity of the image, 
 wherein the determination of the movement value comprises: 
 calculating a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive; and 
 determining the movement value using the calculated threshold value. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit determines a horizontal movement value that results in a histogram of disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image after the horizontal movement that has both positive and negative disparities. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 6  wherein the horizontal movement value is determined to result in a histogram of disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image after the horizontal movement that has both positive and negative disparities. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the movement value determination unit determines a movement value that results in a histogram of disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image after the movement that has both positive and negative disparities. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the movement value is determined to result in a histogram of disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image after the movement that has both positive and negative disparities.